Mother of three, 38, who delayed cancer treatment to deliver her fourth child dies just a few days after the baby was born

A Missouri mother's resolute decision to risk her life to save her unborn child has ended tragically.

Cara Combs, 38, of St. Louis, was 23 weeks pregnant with her fourth child when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma.

Against the advice of her oncologist, she chose to delay treatment for five weeks in order to deliver the baby at 28 weeks.

The brave mom gave birth to Shaylin 'Shay' Combs a few days early by emergency c-section on December 5, with the child weighing in at 2.1 lbs and breathing on her own that night.

She had been scheduled to start immunotherapy 48 hours later in Texas.

However, three days after the birth, Cara Combs passed away.

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A mother's sacrifice: These photos of Cara Combs, 38, her husband Roy, and their three children were taken last week, just days before the brave mom died after giving birth to her fourth child and succumbing to cancer, which she delayed treating to see out the pregnancy 

Shaylin 'Shay' Combs was delivered by emergency c-section on December 5. She weighed just 2.1 lbs, but started breathing on her own that night. Tragically her mother died three days later 

Doctors say the cancer and complications from the pregnancy and surgery were too much for her body.

'I wanted to let everyone know that we lost Cara Walters Combs this morning,' her husband, Roy, wrote on a GoFundMe page for the family this week.

'I don't have to tell you how great of a person she was. She will be missed by all. 

'I always knew she was destined for greater things. We all have a perfect angel looking over us. 

'She was the strongest person I ever met and the best wife and mother. 

'She sacrificed everything so her legacy could live on. 

'Thank you all for your support and prayers. She was my everything and always will be.'

'I always knew she was destined for greater things': Cara's husband Roy gave a touching tribute to his wife this week in announcing her death, describing her as 'the strongest person I ever met and the best wife and mother'

Days before her death and the birth of Shaylin, Cara, her husband and their three children posed for some photos taken by their family friend and photographer, Emily Lucarz, not knowing it would be their last photos together

'Cara was an amazing wife, mother, daughter and sister,' the photographer, Emily Lucarz, said of Cara Combs, pictured here last Thursday

On December 3, two days before the birth of Shaylin, Cara and Roy Combs and their three children came together to have photos taken by a family friend, Emily Lucarz, who posted the album to Facebook. 

'Heaven gained a new Angel this morning,' Lucarz posted with the photos on Tuesday.

'Cara was an amazing wife, mother, daughter and sister. 

'She sacrificed everything so her new little one could live on. 

'She was truly an amazing person and mother. Many prayers and hugs for her family during this difficult time, and continued prayers for baby Shaylin (who is doing well, thanks to Cara).'

So recent was Cara's cancer diagnosis, the family still do not know how the Melanoma developed.

Shaylin was due on December 7, however Cara went into labor on December 5 and underwent an emergency c-section. The little girl weighed in at 2.1 lbs and was breathing on her own that night, family said

Doctors believed it had spread fairly extensively throughout her body, however in a Facebook status before she died, Cara had said she had visited a dermatologist a year before her diagnosis, Fox 2 Now reported.

'There is no good decision here. We will both be fighting for our lives and I feel incredibly guiltily about that,' Cara wrote, in part, after her diagnosis.

'I saw a dermatologist last year and she didn't find anything concerning. 

'Even my oncologist can't find the source. At 38 you don't expect to find out that you are dying. 

'It definitely puts things into perspective. 

'All I can say is enjoy every minute with your kids and don't stress about little things. 

'The baby will probably be born the first week of December and I will start treatment 48 hours later. 

'I know we are in for some big upcoming battles. 

'Thank you for all of the support we have received so far. It is very much appreciated!'

The Combs family has received a great deal of support following Cara's death, with thousands of people across the country giving online donations.

The GoFundMe page, as of late Wednesday, had already raised over $39,000.